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Nearly ten years after Farrah Fawcett’s death, ABC is investigating the life of the iconic star in a new ABC documentary, titled “This is Farrah Fawcett.”
Fawcett, an American actress, model, and artist, was a four-time Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden-Globe nominee. She rose to fame after posing in a red swimsuit taken not long after it was announced that she would be playing investigator Jill Munroe in Season 1 of Charlie’s Angels.
On June 25, 2009, Farrah Fawcett died at 9:28pm PT due to cancer. She was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006. According to Web MD, Fawcett underwent radiation and chemotherapy to treat her cancer, but one year later, she learned the cancer had returned and spread to her liver.
The outlet reports that Fawcett traveled to Germany six times seeking cancer treatment, which included chemotherapy surgery to remove the anal cancer, and laser treatments of her tumors in her liver.
In the summer of 2008, Fawcett entered a clinical trial of an experimental drug in the US, but it did not ameliorate her situation. She died in her hospital bed with her longtime partner, Ryan O’Neal, by her side. In a statement after her death, O’Neal said, “Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world.”
In July 2009, Farrah Fawcett was laid to rest at a private funeral in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends. The Telegraph writes, “Her flower-covered coffin was met by long-time partner Ryan O’Neal at the gates of the aptly named Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown LA.”
According to a July 2 article by The Telegraph, Fawcett’s letter to her son Redmond was read aloud at her funeral. In the letter to Redmond, who was 24 at the time, Farrah wrote, “The greatest gift of my life was to be your mother. By leaving you behind I hope you will be able to work out all your troubles and grow as a person.”
In attendance at the funeral was Fawcett’s former Charlie’s Angel co-star Kate Jackson and friend Alana Stewart. Both Redmond O’Neal, Farrah’s son, and his father, were believed to have given readings during the service.
According to the Telegraph, O’Neal was a “constant companion” to Farrah throughout her illness, and took her to her hospital and chemotherapy sessions. The month before her death, O’Neal reportedly asked Fawcett to marry him and she agreed. “They would wed “as soon as she can say ‘yes’,” O’Neal said at the time.